Newest member of the BANNED music list;"Proud to be an American" struck from school graduation

The song has been sung to rousing ovations in previous presentations at this school but, when the principal overheard it during a rehearsal for
graduation, she stormed in and ordered the CD turned off saying that the song "Might offend some students."

School pulls patriotic song at graduation, but Justin Bieber's 'Baby' is OK

A controversial Coney Island principal has pulled the plug on patriotism.

Her refusal to let students sing “God Bless the USA” at their graduation has sparked fireworks at a school filled with proud immigrants.

Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, won’t allow kindergartners to belt out the beloved Lee Greenwood ballad, also known as
“Proud to be an American,” at their moving-up ceremony.

The curt edict stunned both staff and parents.

“A lot of people fought to move to America to live freely, so that song should be sung with a whole lot of pride,” said mom Luz Lozada, whose son,
Daniel, is in kindergarten.

The song has been sung at previous school events. Last year’s fifth-graders, including another Lozada child, performed it at graduation.

Yep, its gotten pretty bad when this song can be considered offensive in the USA.

The article says that even the immigrants in the school love it because it reminds them why they came here.

The problem lies with the new principal who has had other issues with the staff over her "racist attitude" and refusal to stand for the Pledge of
Allegiance every morning

The principal, a Jehovah’s Witness, does not recite the pledge because her religion forbids followers to salute any nation’s flag. Staffers
gripe she doesn’t stand in respect during the school-wide ritual.

The song uproar comes amid tensions. Hawkins has been called a tyrant and bully by some staffers.

The DOE reprimanded her in 2010 after teachers complained she called the school “racist” and declared: “I’m black. Your previous principal was
white and Jewish. More of us are coming.”

I'm just surprised she didn't object to the mention of "God" in the song.

Maybe she's just acknowledging that the song is inaccurate because the flag doesn't stand for freedom anymore.

While as a musician / somgwriter / music fan I don't like the songs mentioned, they express a patriotic sentiment that should not be abridged or
alienated..
IMHO
the beatch should be fired out of a cannon in defence of free speech

I agree with the schools principal,
Why would we want to pump our children up with nationalistic propaganda?
I say let them decide if god bless the USA or if god blessed the USA and we screwed that up.
The situation is similar to ATS, you can believe what you want all you want, just don't believe it on my media.

"godbless the USA" wasn't the question
it's so smarmy
"proud to be an american" is much less monotheistic, and is almost considered a standard patriotic ditty
if the kids wanted it I think it would be a better choice then any gangsta rap

The principal has quite a rep for being a small minded bully. As a New Yorker, I can tell you, there are far too many of these type of educators in
this city.

Greta Hawkins is a horrible principal. She is out to destroy lives and careers. She is out to destroy what was once a good school. Period.

She is a bully. You can't defend yourself against her because she is always right - no matter what!

This principal does not know what harm she has done to a wonderful school. Although the school has been rated an A by Bloombergs standards, (the
school was an A for two years before Ms. Hawkins came to PS 90) the state has determined that PS 90 is a school in Corrective Action. This means that
it is as school that is failing

You should read the reviews she gets from the teachers who work under her.

One-line Summary: Toxic place to work.

Please review this principal in your own words: Greta Hawkins is vindictive and malicious towards everyone who is not in her close circle of trusted
employes until she decides they are no longer useful to her

What advice would you give to a teacher working with this principal? Dont work here. Find another place as far away as possible. For your peace of
mind and job security

Sure, I know a lot of us are fed up with knee-jerk, jingoistic, flag waving nationalism and this song is one of the better examples of it but, I still
don't think a principal should, completely on her own, without consulting the teachers or parents, decide that the song is "offensive" and
summarily ban it.

You would think that there should be some type of check and balances on her power. They'll never do anything against her though. She's a black
principal at a minority school with 90% of her teaching staff being white. No matter how horrible a job she does at that school, they will always
blame all the problems on the "racist" teachers fighting against her.

Its the Obama administration in microcosm. Everybody opposes them because they are black; it has nothing to do with their policies or abuse of power.

I could have sworn I read about the original incident where she called the school a "racist building" here on ATS but, I can't find it anywhere.

That pisses me off! If the students chose the song then it should be honored. What a freaking crock of BS. I LOVE that song. I am proud to be an
American, I am proud to be part of something even grander!

This song never made much sense to me... It's pretty heavy on God yet glorifies pride, which is a sin in the bible. Besides that working as a
pyrotechnician(fireworks) for years this song now makes my ears bleed I've heard it so many times. Seems like the Christians and the liberals could
find common ground on this one and ban it from all events.

Originally posted by Danbones
"godbless the USA" wasn't the question
it's so smarmy
"proud to be an american" is much less monotheistic, and is almost considered a standard patriotic ditty
if the kids wanted it I think it would be a better choice then any gangsta rap

How the hell does gangsta rap coincide with the subject
matter of the post?

Well I am a Jehova's Witness and tolerance is a personal choice not a religious edict. I don't remember any religion being terribly tolerant. Also
if i weren't that tolerant then I would probably not come to a site like this.
All I can do is ask that everyone quit lumping anyone in a bunch and painting them the same color. I might not stand for the pledge either: However; I
according to my faith, cannot make or force anyone to make that choice for themself. This is only one, small-minded bully that acts according to her
own will, not that of our maker.

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